Employment agencies are a valuable resource for both employers and for prospective employees. These agencies help connect employers who need staff with employees who need work. Employment agencies can easily be found online or in the phone book. These agencies are easy to find and contact. Most employers will usually be assigned a personal representative from the employment agency to evaluate their staffing needs and help fill their available positions. It is more efficient to deal with an employment agency representative who has a clear understanding about the type of business and specific staffing criteria in order to match the right employees to the right business than to work with an agency that doesn't understand the specific staffing requirements.

These employment agencies can help employers find either temporary or permanent staffing to fill open positions. Employment agencies usually pay the employee directly, and then charge the employer a mark up on the employee's salary. This mark up pays for the recruitment, advertising, searching and background checks that are involved in creating a viable new hire for the employer. The employee then becomes an employee of the employment agency, as opposed to working for the employer directly. There is usually an option that can be added into the employment contract that will allow the employer to hire the employee directly after the initial criteria has been met and the contract has been fulfilled.

Employees can get help finding work through employment agencies if they are in between jobs or are having difficulty finding an entry level position. They will need to provide a copy of their most recent resume to the employment agency and be prepared to undergo a full background check. Drug testing and physical agility testing may also be a necessity, depending on the particular position that the applicant is trying to obtain. When using an employment agency, prospective employees should try to select an agency that provides personal evaluation of their job skills and resume to ensure that they are able to find a good fit for both the employee and the employer. This can help increase the chances of job satisfaction and a subsequent long term relationship.